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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks while meeting US President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, US, June 8, 2023. Photo/REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
WASHINGTON – The United States (US) and its allies have spent their efforts to arm and prepare Ukraine for its counterattack against Russian forces.
The claim was made by US President Joe Biden after meeting British Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak at the White House.
“We’ve done everything we can, collectively but individually in the United States, to get them ready, to support..,” Biden told reporters on Thursday (8/6/2023) at a joint news briefing with Sunak in Washington .
He called Kiev’s faltering attempts to launch an offensive “a developing situation in which we are very optimistic.”
The US president made his comments amid reports Ukrainian troops had suffered “significant” casualties as they battled their way through Russian lines in the former Soviet republic.
CNN acknowledged Thursday that Ukrainian forces faced “greater resistance than expected” and were struggling to get Western-supplied vehicles through the minefields.
The long-discussed counteroffensive appeared to have started with a massive offensive on Sunday, but was met with weakened firepower from Russian troops.
Kiev acknowledged its troops were “turning to offensive actions” in several areas, but dismissed claims of failures and losses as Russian propaganda.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, Ukrainian forces lost more than 3,700 soldiers, 52 tanks and hundreds of armored vehicles during the first three days of their offensive.
